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The Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta - a council of senior Aboriginal women from outback town Coober Pedy are proud to launch the story of their campaign, which stopped a nuclear waste dump.

Talking Straight Out will be launched on Saturday October 15 at Umoona Aboriginal Aged Care, where many of the women now live. It is a
120-page full colour book, self-published from an underground office.

In February 1998 the Federal Government announced its plan to build a national radioactive waste dump in the South Australian desert.

In March 1998 the Kungka Tjuta responded with an announcement of their own.

"We say NO radioactive waste dump for our ngura - for our country."

For six years the women travelled the country, "talking straight out". They called their campaign Irati Wanti - the poison, leave it.

They worked with greenies and wrote passionate letters to politicians. They attracted national media. They won. Now, they want to pass their stories on.

Mrs Emily Munyungka Austin says, "We were fighting for a long time, but it's worth it to look after our beautiful desert. We made the book with all our words and all our pictures for everyone to learn how to fight for the country."

The book's co-editor and campaign coordinator, Nina Brown, explains the significance of the launch date: "October 15 is the anniversary of the first British atomic test detonated on the Australian mainland. The ladies were affected by this test. Surviving the `poison' in their youth inspired them to fight against it in old age."

Brown continues: "Now the Federal Government wants to impose a waste dump on unwilling communities in the Northern Territory."

The Kungkas express their support for people up North, "We just want to say to everyone don't give up, just keep going. We kept on going and we won."

More info
Nina Brown
ph 08 8672 3413 or 0439 450 613.

From our heart to you
Introduction to Talking Straight Out

We are the Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta - Senior Aboriginal Women of Coober Pedy, South Australia.

Us Kungkas, we are always talking strong. Never stop talking. Always thinking about the future generations, black and white.

Now we've stopped the radioactive waste dump we are having a good break. Still looking after the country and all the kids, that we never stop. Still teaching them our story. Until we finish we will tell our story.

This book is for everyone to learn. We give all our ideas about looking after the country. All the words from our heart, talking true way about everything we did fighting the poison. All the stories with all the pictures of us talking straight out, travelling everywhere.

Your turn now to look after the country properly. Don't forget about that poison. Be strong like us. Don't be scared of the Government. We weren't scared and we're elderly ladies.

From our heart to you, this book is for everyone to learn.

Ivy Makinti Stewart, Eileen Kampakuta Brown, Eileen Unkari Crombie, Emily Munyungka Austin, Tjunmutja Myra Watson.

Editorial Committee
Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta
Coober Pedy 2005

Reproduced with permission.

More info
www.iratiwanti.org